Andrew Jones is one of three players to suffer a nasty injury in the win over the Gunning Roos on Saturday.
It’s great to see the revival of the Gunning RL Club after an absence of some 18 years. The Green and Golds have returned after last playing in the George Tooke Shield in 1998. They have recruited well and besides Gunning players, gained some from Goulburn, Dalton and Yass. This is good to see, fostering the game in our country areas.
The early stages of the match between the home town GUNNING KANGAROOS and HARDEN HAWKS, saw Harden on the defensive as the Roos attacked in earnest. Hawk’s winger Andrew Jones fell awkwardly and was replaced after a few minutes. Soon after, the Hawks gained ground and after being stripped illegally of possession, took a tap-kick, and the following backline movement saw Luke Stanton on the end of it and he registered Harden’s first try, unconverted, and it was 4-0.
The restart put Gunning further behind the eight-ball when they kicked out on the full. Continuing their attack, the Hawks took the advantage when half Nathan Schofield delivered a neat chip-kick for Justin Stewart to chime in and score, making it 10-4. Schofield added the extras.
It was then tit-for-tat as both teams threw everything at each other. The Kangaroos were intent on kicking deep, sometimes on early tackles. This paid off finally, causing Harden to drop the football, and the ROOS centre ran 30 metres to touch down in the town-end corner.
At 10-4 it was anybody’s game. The Gunning team, egged on by a parochial crowd, lifted their rate, taking play to the Hawk’s 20m line.
A completely sideways punt kick towards their right winger saw the ball bounce high, and was regathered by him to dive over the tryline, right on half time, for a scoreline of Harden 10 Gunning 8.
The second half started with Harden Hawks receiving an early penalty for being held down too long. They ran helter skelter up towards their opponent’s goalposts. Soon after a scrum formed with a Hawk’s feed, and a wide blind side. This they capitalised on, when Hawk’s half-back swung the ball in that direction, and centre Chris James scored in the dressing-shed corner. Schoie was spot on with the conversion for 16-8 lead to Harden.
Harden forwards were really standing tall and tough. But the Roos were giving as much as they got. Hawk’s front man and leader of the pack, had many helpers. The man himself Simon Snedden soon after, made a burst, before lobbing a harbour-bridge pass towards his left winger. It looked like the pass had gone astray, but it had gone backwards, for Josh Quinn to pick up and score.
This sparked a controversy, when the conversion from Schofield went straight between the sticks and above the crossbar, but the Referee ruled in the negative, 20-8.
Then came the try of the match. Harden gained possession with robust front rower Simon Snedden making another steam rolling burst. As he stormed ahead, his team mates backed up accepting three off-loads, through the hands, culminating with skipper Luke Brown finishing of a polished movement, with a try, making it 26-8. The home-town crowd became momentarily silent.
As Simon Snedden walked back on the edge the Showground, past an array of Gunning’s crowd, he had a few words with them. He wished them well, and said he hoped all the mothers would have a happy Mother’s Day. (Well, something like that).
To put the icing on the cake, in the dying stages, and with the clouds rolling in from the west, Nathan Schofield put up a high up-and-under bomb that nearly brought rain. The ball bounced, then went through Hawk hands to Five-eighth Rhett Foreman, who had an excellent game and touched down. This made the final score Harden 32 Gunning 8.
The match was easily Harden’s best workout this Season, as Gunning put up a solid fight.
Unfortunately for the Hawks the side suffered three severe injuries. Andrew Jones dislocated his shoulder fro the seventh time in his career and the second time this year. Andrew said he will be doing his best to be available for the Hawks this weekend. Justin Stewart injured his knee after twisting it in a rabbit hole. The playing surface left much to be desired with several players stepping in holes brought about by foraging from our cute ‘friends’. Mick Alcorn broke his wrist and underwent surgery on monday morning to help aid his recovery, he will now be out of action for an undetermined amount of time.
Following the match, both teams frequented Gunning’s Telegraph Hotel for refreshments. A chorus of “THE HAWKS ARE GOING TO PARTY” echoed loud and clear.
Be at McLean Oval on Saturday for the BIG CLASH against Boomanulla Raiders. Gentlemen, start your engines.
WINGS.
